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When it comes to improving the success of your internal teams as part of a strategic communications plan, Rhonda R. Savage, DDS, CEO for Linda L. Miles and Associates, says it’s all about building stronger relationships. You don’t have to be a close personal friend with everyone in your office, she notes, but you do always need to show each person respect and professionalism. Trust among team members breeds success. Savage offers these three tips to facilitate accountability and build that trust:

1. Define duties. Eighty percent of the job is specified in your job description; the other 20 percent involves helping coworkers. Create an atmosphere where everyone bends over backward for the other person.

2. Define your expectations. A personnel policy and office manual should cover individual and team responsibilities. Hold your existing employees and new hires to consistent standards. True teamwork demands that all employees be held to the same standards.

3. Define time commitments. Set aside adequate time for each task. It is not fair to assign or accept a responsibility and then have no time to accomplish the task. Be realistic about the time frame, and make sure your team members are aware of the deadlines for each project they take on.